Nov 29, 2013. Amateur Gauri Monga sizzled the field on the second day of the Hero Women’s Indian Open with a one under par 143, just three strokes off the leader. As the top Indian in the field, she is tied 4th and proved she knew the course, its crannies and birdie opportunities. With four birdies across her round today she made way for a stronger come back for the third day to take a few more calculated risks.
“My driving was really working. I didn’t’ hit any bush which as you know are plenty on this course. Was straight and my putting worked,” says Monga. “Except the 15th, I drove on all holes. Because in DGC if your tee shot is fine, then you are likely to hit the fairways. I don’t get my drive long, not long enough as many of other players but a driver helps to keep it on the fairway.”
Among the prominent names who survived the cut, were Hero Moto Corp-sponsored golfer Sharmila Nicollet (75, 78), veteran Smriti Mehra (77, 73), Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour’s Order of merit (2013) winner Neha Tripathi (74, 75) and Vani Kapoor (73, 78). A host of amateurs like Aditi Ashok (76, 77), Gurbani Singh (78, 75), Gursimar Badhwal (77, 75) and Ridhima Dilawari (77, 74) showed that the future of Indian golf is in safe hands as they also survived the cut.
Ankita Tiwana, Shweta Galande and Pallavi Jain missed the cut. After Gauri, the best Indians are Neha at tied 30th, Smriti at 41st, Vani and Rhea Nair at 49th while Sharmila is lying in 61st place with Gurbani and Aditi.
Neha Tripathi with a five over par has a high moment with a stellar eagle on the par-5 eighth hole. This made up for the double bogey on the 7th especially as Tripathi has recently won on this course and understands its narrow challenges. Tied 30th, she certainly has work to.
Looking strong on day one, Vani Kapoor slipped during the second round which was marked by at least a couple of double bogeys and four bogeys. Kapoor, who has been playing in form expects to make a bounceback from a seven over par to a low score in the following game days.
Millie Saroha, Saaniya Sharma, Preetinder Kaur, Rani Sonti, Shweta Galande, Seher Atwal, Ankita Tiwana, Nikki Ponnapa and Pallavi Jain miss the projected cut (a rather generous one) of +9. Of all these ladies, Tiwana does come as a surprise given how solidly she has been working on her game and is yet considered one of the upcoming players on the domestic tour.
